Calculation Viewer - Display Options

The Calculation Viewer - Display Options menu is located in the lower right corner of the display. It provides a few ways to utilize the rendered image to more completely understand your rendered results as well as to fine tune your images for presentation.

Display Option

Illustrated

Explained

Show Daylight Transition Surface Direction

Glazing orientation can be seen by selecting "Show Daylight Transition Surface Direction". This will enable small orientation vectors on the glazing that indicate direction. Daylight can only pass through the surface if the orientation is correct. If the vectors are pointing inward, the glazing is in the correct orientation.

IMPORTANT TIP (ElumTools only): In the case of windows hosted in walls, it is the orientation of the wall that is important. The exterior side should be facing out which will result in the transition vectors facing inward.

Show Annual Daylight Meters

The division of the workplane area into Elements (radiosity receivers) with average value shown at the center point. The size of the daylight meter area is based on the calculation point spacing which should not be greater than 2 feet square for acceptable accuracy.

Display Mode

The Display Mode allows a variety of different portrayals of the rendered image and may be interesting from a presentation perspective. Radiosity Smooth Shaded is the default.

Exposure

Exposure = 0 (default)

Exposure = +1

Exposure = -1

The Calculation Viewer provides an Exposure adjustment for the rendered image to allow you to subjectively tune your visualization to meet your expectations. This is necessary to compensate for the limited contrast ratio of computer displays and the inherent assumptions used for the default rendered image.

For the purposes of default rendered exposure (Exposure=0), the software assumes the average scene reflectance for the rendered environment to be 18% gray (based on Eastman Kodak photographic research). This is clearly an average case for most architectural environments. Typical commercial interiors tend to be more reflective, while exterior surfaces (such as asphalt) will be less reflective.

In order to compensate for this standard photographic assumption, the display of light colored environments will benefit from a higher Exposure setting, while low-reflectance environments will appear more accurate with a lower Exposure.

For the default display, the average reflectance of all pixels in the environment (regardless of current viewpoint) is calculated and re-calibrated to 18%. This is equivalent to an Exposure setting of 0.

For every 1 point increase in Exposure the average scene reflectance doubles. Example: an Exposure setting of 1 is equivalent to an average scene reflectance of 36%.

For every 1 point decrease in exposure, the average scene reflectance is cut in half. Example: an exposure of -1 is equivalent to an average scene reflectance of 9%.

Most interiors will look more realistic with an Exposure setting between 0.75 and 1.5 (30 - 50% reflective).

Most exteriors will look more realistic with an Exposure setting between -1.5 and 0 (6 - 18% reflective).

Color Temperature Mode

Automatic - Sets the white point of the display by the weighted average of all lumens of various color temperatures emitted in the space (this is 6500k for Licaso).

Default - The default color temperature for the white point of the display is 6500k.

Custom - You can calibrate the display to your own white point preference using the Custom setting. Enter the default temperature in the cell below.

Color Temperature

Displays the color temperature used for the white point of the display based on the setting above.

Show Bounding Box

The Bounding Box shows the extents of all geometry considered.

Show Axis

Display of viewer Cartesian axis

The Calculation Viewer shows a small Cartesian coordinate marker in the lower-left corner of the display. Its location does not mark the origin; it is simply a reference for relative direction and may be useful when manually editing the Viewpoint.

Gradient Background

Gradient background

Solid background color

The default background for the rendered image is a purple-gray color with gradient from bottom (darkest) to top (lightest). We feel this enhances the rendered image. A Solid background of the same color can be selected if you prefer. The background color can be changed at will (see below) and a gradient or solid version of the new color displayed using these settings.

Change Background Color

Default background color shown

Background color can be specified by entering RGB or HSL values manually, or by simply selecting a Hue from the circle (mouse click or drag) and then adjusting the Luminance and Saturation of that Hue by dragging the mouse around the large rectangle.

Anti-Aliasing (enable/disable)

Anti-Aliasing enabled (notice text)

Anti-Aliasing disabled (notice text)

Anti-aliasing is a computer graphics process used to reduce the jagged appearance of rendered edges that are neither straight across nor straight up and down the screen. As your computer screen presents information in the form of pixels, diagonal lines (edges) will appear somewhat jagged. The anti-aliasing process finds edges and applies a sampling algorithm to smudge or blur the edges by blending the adjacent colors. When zoomed in very close, the effect is visible. However, when the image is viewed from a normal distance, the edges appear to be straight.

The viewer applies anti-aliasing only when navigation stops; the application is typically fast enough to elude detection.

Anti-aliasing is on by default.

Anti-Aliasing Level

The higher the sampling level, the more blending occurs. The default sampling level is 8 which is adequate for most images.

Navigation Speed

The Navigation Speed controls the rate at which the image will move when using the interactive commands such as Orbit and Walk. Faster is to the right.